Electrical connector



R E WILLIAMS ET AL ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR.

FILED APR 8 1920 Feb. 20, 1923.

cheaply assembled, and

Patented Feb. 20, 1923.

than recs.

RALPH n. WILLIAMS AND nanny 1:. Kenmore, or nos ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR.

Application filed April 8, 1920. Serial No. 372,195.

T 0 all whom may con ern Be it known that we, RALPH E. Wrnmmrs andl-lnnnv H.. MonnroN. citizens of the United States, residing at LosAngeles, in the county of Los Angeles, State of California, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Electrical vConnectors, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to an electrical connector and it is an object ofthe invention to provide an improved device of this character that issimple. effective and inexpensive to manufacture.

A. particular object of this invention is to provide an improved simpleelectrical" connector of the general character used in lamps,spotlights, and similar devices. The invention is herein set forth in aform par ticularly adapted for use in lamps or spotlights, and the like,but it is not intended that such disclosure should limit or restrict theinvention to this particular form or to use in such devices.

An important feature of the invention is the simplicity of constructionof the device. The connector provided by the in-- vention is extremelysimple in construction and can be easily and inexpensively manufactured.The device requires no complicated or expensive parts, can be easily andis. efi'ective and durable. Further objects and features of theinvention are clearly set forth in the following detailed description ofa preferred embodiment of the invention throughout which ings, in which-Fig. 1 is'aside elevation of a device embodying the invention showingthe manner in which it may be used in connection with reference is hadto the accompanying drawa removable plugand a lamp; Fig. 2 is anenlarged detailed sectional view of the device shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3is a sectional viewtaken as indicated by line 33 on Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is adetailed sectional view taken as indicated by line 4-4 on Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of the .end portion of one of thecontacts.

Throughout the drawings numeral 10 designates the electrical connectoradapted to make an electrical connection between the removable plug 11and the bulb 12. This particular combination, that is, the combinationof a removable plug and a bulb with the connector 10, is merely toilluss,

nector. Suitable projections 17 are -v'ided in the end portion 18 of-thecasing trade the use of the electrical connector 10. and does not in anyway limit or restrict its use to forming a connector between two suchdevices, as it will be readily understood that 1t may be used as aconnector between various devices and combinations i of devices. In theparticular form, or embodiment, of the invention illustrated 'in thedrawings the bulb 12 is adapted to be held in, or connected. to, theconnector 10 in the ordinary manner. That is,"'a suitable pin 13isprovided on the base 1 10f the bulb 12 so as to co-operate with asuitable L shaped slot 15 formed in the end portion of the casing 16 ofelectrical connector 10. The plug 11 is adapted to be connected to, orheld in engagement with, the electrical connector 10 in a manner commonto devices of this generalcharacter and in a manner similar to that inwhich thejbulb 12- is connected or held in the electrical con.-

16, and are adapted to co-operate with or engage suitable slots 19formed in the innerp'o rtionof the socket 11. These particular mannersof connecting devices to the electrical connector 10 are merely typical.and common ways that maybe employed andit will be understood that theinvention is not in any way limited to such manners of connection butthat various other constructions may be advantageously employed.

The electricalconnector 10, which is the subject of thepresentinvention, comprises a cylindrical casing 16, a core 20 carriedtherein, and contacts 21 carried. in the core 20. The casing 15rnerelyprovides a carrying member for the core 20 and its ends form sockets-inwhich the plug, and bulb, can be easily and conveniently arranged orheld so as to be in engagement .with the contacts 21.

The core20 is preferably a solid or integral block of insulatingmaterial such as .fibre, or the like, and preferably fits tightly in thecasing 15 so that it will not be displaced therein vby ordinary use ofthe device.

There are two independent bores 30 in the core 20 and there is ahelical. spring 31 carried" in each. of the bores. It will be noted inthe drawings that the springs 31 extend completely through the bores 30and project from the ends of the core, and that the contacts 21 arecarried by the springs. There is a contact 21 at each end of, eachspring 31 thereby providing two contacts at each end or the core 20 or,two contacts at each end of the connector 10. The contacts 21 arepractically uniform in size and shape and each comprises a head orterminal 32 carried on ashank The shanks-33 of the contacts 21 fitwithin the helical springs 31 so that the ends of the springs engage theinner ends or the terminals 32. The shanks are comparatively long andextend into the core 20. It will be readily understood that the contacts21 may be attached or connected to the springs 31 in any suitablemanner, although, it preferred that they be attached as follows:

The contacts 21 are held or clamped in vise or clamp jaws, havingserrated or ir regular faces, during the formation of the termin therebycausing the shanks ot' the fini l ed contacts to have serrations ornotches near the terminals 32. The helical springs 31. are made to itthe shanks oil the contacts 21 rather closely and when the shanks areplaced in the springs 31 the contacts are held against dropping off orbeing easily removed from the springs by the engagement of theserrations or notches 36 by the springs. While the contacts 21 are heldin the spring 31 in this manner the terminals 32 and the ends of thesprings 31 are dipped into solder, or the like, thereby soldering orsecurely connecting the ends of the spring to the inner faces 35 of theterminals 32. This manner of connecting the terminals and springs isparticularly effective and extremely simple and inexpensive inexecution. The contacts 21 may be and preferably are secured to thesprings 31 hetore the springs are placed in the core 20. This is madepossible by the terminals 32 i being made suiiici'ently small to bepassed through. the bores 30. When the contacts 21. have been secnred toboth ends of the springs 31 the springs carrying the contacts may beinserted in the bores 30 to the proper positions. I

A slot 37 is cut a little more than halt way through the core 21 toreceive a key 38 which locks the springs 31 in place in the core 21 andpositively prevents their removal therefrom. The key 38 is preferably afibre key or a key of insulating material and is made surliciently largethat when the core is placed in the casing 15 it is forced into the slot37 and plnches or firmly holds the springs againstithe bottom 39 ofslot- 37, as clearlv shown in Fig. This manner of holding or lockingthesprings 31 in place in the core is particularly eitective, is simple andextremely inexpensive in construction. It will be particularly noted inthe drawurge that when the socket 11 is in place in the connector 10 thecontacts 40 in the plug 11 are in posltion to engage the terminals 32,

and that when the bulb 12 is in place in, the

tricity being carried by the connector 10" to pass through only shortlengths of Swings kin the resistance oi: the connec -h lt) prz .Jcailynegligible. I

It will be readily understood how the I :51 cause the terminals 312 oi?the conto be firmly pressed or held against t to i la oi the bulb 12 andthe contacts ll) oithe plug .l']. when the base and plug are in place inthe conne tor .10, as shown in 1 and The terminals 32 being held a .instthe base i l and contacts lO by the SPIL 31 make good elezrtricalconnections with these parts thereby rendering the connector 10effective and eflicient. be readily understood how the contacts 21 moveout to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 when the bulb 12 andplug 11 are moved from the connector and how the hey positively preventsdisplacement of the spring in the core 20 when the bulb and plug areremoved.

Having set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention we do not wishto limit or restrict ourselves to the particular details above set forthbut wish to reserve to ourselves any changes or variations that mayappear to those skilled in the art or that may fall within the scope ofthe following claims.

Having described a preferred form of our invention, we claim:

1. Tn an electrical connector, an insulating member having a pair ofbores extending through it and a'slot init and extending ing terminalsat their ends arranged in the bores so that their ends project from theinsulating member, and a single key of insulating material arranged inthe slot to engage and hold both springs.

2. In an electrical connector, an insulating member having a boreextending through it and a slot in it and extending across the bore, asingle springhaving terminals at its ends carried in thebore, and akeyarranged in the slot to engage the spring, and a casing around theinsulating member positively preventing displacement of the key. I

3. In an electrical connector, an insulating member having a pair ofbores extending through it and a slot in it and extending across thebores, two springs each having terminals at their ends arranged in theIt will across the bores, two springs each havterial arranged in theslot to engage and hold both springs, and a casing around the insulatingmember positively preventing displacement of the key and extending fromthe insulating member to form sockets.

4. In an electrical connector, an insulating member having a pair ofbores extending through it and a slot in it and extending across thebores, two helical springs carried in the bores so that their endsextend from the insulating member, a single key'arranged in the slot tolock both springs against displacement in the bores, and contactscarried by the ends of the springs, the contacts comprising terminals atwhich the springs connect'to the contacts and shanks which projectfreely into the springs.

5. In an electrical connector, an insulating member having a pair ofbores extend-- ing through it and a slot in it at right angles to andacross the bores, a helical spring carried in each bore, a single key ofinsu-- lating material arranged in the slot to extend across the boresand prevent displacement of both springs, a casing aroundthe insulatingmember positively preventing displacement of the key and projecting fromthe insulating member to form sockets, and

contacts carried at the ends of the springs to extend into the socketsformed by the casing, v r

6. In an electrical connector, a cylindrical insulating blockhaving apair of spaced longitudinal bores anda transverse'slot at its ends, andcontacts carried at the ends of the springs to extend into the socketsformed. by the casing,the contacts comprising termi nals at their outerends to which the ends of the springs connect and shanks extendingfreely into the springs andadapted to closely approach the key when thesprings are compressed.

In witness that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto subscribed ournames this 24th day of March, 1920.

HENRY n. MORETON. RALPH E. WILLIAMS. v

Witness: 1

' VIRGINIA BERINGER.

